134 rescued during 4-hour truce in Marawi: peace official

June 4, 2017

At least 134 trapped civilians were rescued as the military and Islamic State-linked Maute Terror Group observed a four-hour humanitarian ceasefire on the the 13th day of hostilities in Marawi City.

Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Assistant Secretary Dickson Hermoso said Sunday an emissary helped them get access with Maute gunmen on Saturday during the initial stage of negotiation.

“Yesterday, we were able to talk with Maute through an emissary whom we respect well and he is also respected by the Maute," he said, citing that the emissary, who directly talked with Abdullah Maute,  one of the terror group's leaders, was able to negotiate for a truce, which started at 8am until 12 noon, so that the people trapped could get out from the battle zone.  

Using mega-phones, five teams from the rebel Moro Islamic Liberation Front, proceeded to the war zone areas of Marawi and called for the trapped civilians to come out to the road. The rescued civilians were escorted to the humanitarian lane towards the Banggulo bridge.

“We are able to retrieve 134 wounded, children, women, elders and those sick processed by the crisis committee. We will continue our mandate. And again we request both side to open a humanitarian space so  that we can get all those trapped civilians in the war zone,” Hermoso said. He said the Maute demanded that only Maranao could join in the rescue missions.

President Rodrigo Duterte earlier approved the offer of the MILF to assist the government in rescuing trapped civilians in Marawi. A peace corridor was created for the humanitarian mission. DMS